Their impressive live show at this time brought them to the attention of The Sisters of Mercy front man Andrew Eldritch, who, after seeing a local performance, invited them as special guests on their 1984 Black October tour. The next two years saw the band gracing the stage with acts such as Siouxsie & The Banshees, Spear Of Destiny & The Mission etc..
Undeterred, following vocalist Anne Hurst's sudden departure in 1985 following the release of their second album "Futile Combat, the band enjoyed greater national chart success with the singles 'Restless' & 'Just A Minute' via signing to Chrysalis Records with new vocalist Katrina Phillips (from ex Specials Terry Hall’s band The Colourfield, single 'Thinking Of You')
This line up of the group disbanded in 1987 but due to the advent of the worldwide web, reissues of earlier studio and compilation albums, along with a rapidly growing resurgence of interest in eighties music & culture the band reformed again in 2002.
Now consisting of original members Stan Greenwood, Roger "Trotwood" Nowell and Ian "Karl Heinz" Taylor, i.e. the main songwriters of the band (all of whom were in the original pre cursor to Skeletal Family from 1979 called The Elements) produced two new original studio albums "Sakura" & "Songs Of Love Hope & Despair" alongside a third release on Jungle Records titled "Day Of All Days"
The band continue to play live to this day, headlining alternative European festivals / events which culminated with an extensive month long USA in 2018 coupled with one off appearances in Brazil and Mexico.
2020 / 2021 saw the band utilising the Covid pandemic to their advantage. Alongside vocalist Anneka Latta and drummer Adrian "Ozzy" Osadzenko the band recorded 19 new songs at Paul Weller's Black Barn Studios, Ripley, UK.
Ten of these tracks have been selected for the bands sixth studio album "Light From The Dark" scheduled for release Spring 2023 via Chapter 22 Records.
Skeletal Family 2023 line up:-
Anneka Latta - Vocals
Stan Greenwood - Guitars
Roger "Trotwood" Nowell - Bass
Ian "Karl Heinz" Taylor - Keyboards / Saxophone
Adrian "Ozzy" Osadzenko
Far and Near
Skeletal Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here was a coach house years before
Where the witches lived and they sang their songs
And the women spun their wool
People came from far and near
To hear the songs of the old and new
And they sang of fear and woe
Spin and twist, all day long
For treasures to earn their keep
Spin and twist day and night
Sing the songs oh sweet one
Still the gallows stand today
And if you're lucky you can hear them say
With old women that spin and twist
Only at night you can hear them sing
Spin and twist, all day long
For treasures, to earn their keep
Spin and twist, day and night
Sing the song oh sweet one
Don't listen to them, they draw you near
Such a sweet song, such a ghostly sight
They'll cast their spell, and suck you in
Then you'll sing the son, oh sweet one
Spin and twist, all day long
For treasures to earn their keep
Spin and twist day and night
Sing the songs oh sweet one
The song "Far and Near" by Skeletal Family tells the story of a valley where a coach house previously stood, where witches lived and women spun wool. This place attracted people from all over who were eager to hear the songs of the old and new. The songs they sang were about fear and woe, and the witches who sang them didn't live very long. They spun and twisted all day long to earn their keep, singing their sweet songs along the way.
The song speaks of the gallows still standing today in that valley, and if you're lucky, you can hear the old women singing and spinning their wool. They warn you not to listen to them, for they will draw you near with their sweet but ghostly song, casting their spell and sucking you in. The message of the song is that one should be wary of the seductive but dangerous allure of the witches and their songs.
Overall, "Far and Near" is a hauntingly beautiful song that tells an intriguing story of witches and their songs that have been passed down through the generations. It's a compelling reminder of the power of storytelling and the lessons that can be learned from ancient tales and legends.
Line by Line Meaning
In the valley, long before my time
Centuries ago, in this valley, before I even existed
Here was a coach house years before
There used to be a place to rest horses and carriages nearby
Where the witches lived and they sang their songs
This place was home to witches who would chant their own music
And the women spun their wool
These women had the task of creating clothing and textiles from spun threads
People came from far and near
People travelled great distances to come here
To hear the songs of the old and new
They came to listen to a mix of traditional and modern music
And they sang of fear and woe
These songs spoke of things that terrified them and made them upset
They didn't live all that long
Sadly, the people who lived and sang here did not have long lives
Spin and twist, all day long
The women worked hard to spin and twist threads non-stop
For treasures to earn their keep
They did this for valuable items to make ends meet
Still the gallows stand today
The place where people were hanged still exists today
And if you're lucky you can hear them say
Sometimes, one can hear voices from that time period
With old women that spin and twist
It's said that the spirits of those women who spun and twisted threads still haunt this place
Only at night you can hear them sing
Their singing can only be heard in the evenings, by those who are still around
Don't listen to them, they draw you near
Beware! The spirits might tempt you with their melodies
Such a sweet song, such a ghostly sight
Their music may seem beautiful, but their presence is frightening
They'll cast their spell, and suck you in
The witches will put you under a trance and make you stay here
Then you'll sing the song, oh sweet one
You will be forced to sing with them, no matter what
Spin and twist, all day long
The task of spinning and twisting continues
For treasures to earn their keep
It's still done in exchange for valuable items for sustenance
Spin and twist, day and night
The work never stops, whether it's day or night
Sing the songs oh sweet one
And the witches will make you join in with their melodies
Contributed by Luke C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ninx Deceiver
In the valley, long before my time
Here was a coach house years before
Where the witches lived and they sang their songs
And the women spun their wool
People came from far and near
To hear the songs of the old and new
And they sang of fear and woe
They didn't live all that long
Spin and twist, all day long
For treasures to earn their keep
Spin and twist day and night
Sing the songs oh sweet one
Still the gallows stand today
And if you're lucky you can hear them say
With old women that spin and twist
Only at night you can hear them sing
Spin and twist, all day long
For treasures, to earn their keep
Spin and twist, day and night
Sing the song oh sweet one
Don't listen to them, they draw you near
Such a sweet song, such a ghostly sight
They'll cast their spell, and suck you in
Then you'll sing the song, oh sweet one
Spin and twist, all day long
For treasures to earn their keep
Spin and twist day and night
Sing the songs oh sweet one
Fabiana Kirby
Adooro..Umas das preciosidades do Pós Punk Inglês <3
Wanderson Silva
Rock gótico na dose certa!
The Quality of Mercy
Brilliant song, thanks for uploading.
Willydark67
Fantastica!!
1980Raffael
unholy spirit ! my goth youth ! i love you for ever Skeletal Family.
FRATERGAUDINISTHXXI
Far and near! (not nearT)...
pumpThatTerror
Thx!
g
oah